Frank mesker



(No Model.)

P. MESKER.

BUILDING FRONT COLUMN.

No. 460,481. Patented Sept. 29,1891.

Inventar:

UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

FRANK MESKER, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO MESKER & BROTHER, OF SAME PLACE.

BUILDING-FRONT COLUMN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 460,481, dated September 29, 18 91.

Application filed August 6, 1890. Serial No. 361,224. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK MESKER, of St. Louis, Missouri, have made a new and useful Improvement in Building-Front Columns, of

which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The present improved column is adapted to various positions in abuilding front. It can be used at the end of the front and also at any to desired pointbetween the ends of the front,and it is adaptable both to brick and to wood work. The column belongs to that class of columns which are mainly composed of plate or sheet metal.

I 5 The improvement consists, mainly, in the means whereby the column can be widened or narrowed inexpensively, substantially as is hereinafter set forth and claimed, aided by the annexed drawings, making part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a view in perspective of the improved column; Fig. 2a side elevation thereof. Brick-work is shown in connection therewith. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of the column;

2 5 Fig. 1, a horizontal section of a modification of the column; Fig. 5, a horizontal section of the column applied to wood-work; Fig. 6, a horizontal section of the column applied to wood-work, the wood-work having a different 36 construction from that shown in Fig.5; and

Fig. 7, another horizontal section of the 001- n [1111 applied to wood-work whose construction varies from those shown in Figs. 5 and 6. The last five named figures are upon the same 3 5 scale, which is a larger one than that used in Figs. 1 and 2.

The same letters of reference denote the same parts.

A A represent, respectively, the two sides 40 of the column, and B represents the front of the column. The sides at the forward ends thereof each have an inwardly-turned flange a. The front is a flat piece of metal without any flanges. The sides A A have a uniform 5 depth, whatever the width of the column may be, and the column is made wider or narrower, as may be desired, by means of a wider or narrower plate B-thatis, if a wider column is desired a wider plate B is employed, as in Fig. 3. If a narrower column is desired, a narrower plate Bis employed, as in Figs. 5, 6, and 7; but in all instances the sides A A are of the same sizethat is, of the same dimension from the forward to the rearward edge thereof. This enables columns of any preferred width to be readily and economically furnished, for the sides can be kept in stock and are also readily obtainable, and the fronts, being entirely flat, are very easily supplied. The sides and front are united by placing the front between the sides and against the side flanges a a and uniting the parts by means of rivets O, which pass through the side flanges a a and the front edges 1) b, substantially as shown. vBy this 63' means an additional advantage is obtained. The rivets C by being arranged as described appear, when the column is viewed in front,

in vertical lines at the sides, respectively, of the column front, substantially as shown in Fig. 1. In this way an ornamental effect can be produced upon the column front bymeans of the rivets, whose heads 0 can be rounded or otherwise shaped to form projections in vertical rows. If desired, an additional effeet can be produced by using washers 0' between the rivet-head and the side flange a, substantially as shown; or, again, the same rivets can be extended to unite not only the column sides and front, but also to secure any ornamental attachments which may be applied to the column frontsuch, for instance, as the capital D, Fig. 1, or the attachment E, Fig. 1. At the back thereof the column can be variously constructed, according as it may be desired to connect the column with brick-work F or with wood-work G, substantially as shown. For brick-work the col umn sides at the back are united by means of cross-strips,substantially as shown at H, Figs. 1 and 3. For wood-work a filling piece or pieces I (running either vertically or diagonally and to act as a bridging or to brace the sides of the column) are inserted between the column sides and secured thereto by means 5 of some suitable fastening, such as screws 2'. \Vhen the strips H are used, it is the practice to employ four or five spaced apart from each other throughout the heightof the column, by which means openings are provided no for introducing the brick-work into the interior of the column and holding same securely in position to wall. lVhen thefillingpiece is used, it is usually made to extend upward and downward throughout the height of the column, and in connecting it with the wood-work of the building the construction can be varied considerably. For instance, as is exhibited in Fig. 5, a window-sash J may be applied at one side of the column to abut upon the filling-piece, (the sidesAA projecting beyond the wood to hide joints.) An intermediate strip K may be secured to the central portion of the filling-strip, and the door L may be hinged to the strip K, and a finish-board M may be applied to the strip K, all substantially as shown.

In Fig. 6 a sash N may take the place of the door, and the finish-board M may extend to lap upon both sashes, all substantially as shown.

In Fig. 7 two sashes O P are shown. The sash O is extended to lap somewhat more upon the filling-piece than does the sash J. The sash P abuts edgewise against the side of the column, and the finish-board M extends from the sash 0 past the column and laps upon the sash P, all substantially as shown; but, as stated, so far as the woodwork is concerned its composition may be varied considerably without departing from the principle of the improvement, Figs. 5, (i, 7, and 8 showing only a few of the many designs. It is to be stated, however, that by dispensing with the use of angle-irons at the back of the column opportunity is provided for uniting the wood-work with the fillingstrip in the immediate vicinity of the column side-as, for instance, in uniting the sash O by means of screws 0 to the filling-piece, substantially as shown in Fig. 7, which mode of uniting the wood-work would be prevented if angle-irons were used at the back of the column.

In Fig. 4 a modification of the improved column is shown. One of the column sides A is omitted and the crossstrips H extended from the rearward edge of the single side A diagonally to connect with the farther edge I) of the column front B, substantially as shown. The strips 11 in such case are secured to said edge I) by means of the rivets O, and to give uniformity to the appearance of the column front an angle-iron a is used upon said farther edge Z), substantially as shown.

I claim- The building-front column having the front plate, the side plates whose longitudinal forward edges are formed with flanges lapping and secured to said front plate upon its front side, and the rear plate or strip having flanges riveted or secured to the inner sides of the side plates, substantially as set forth.

iVitness my hand this 1st day of August, 1890.

FRANK MESKER.

Vitnesses:

C. D. Moonr, (l. K. J ONES. 

